By Sandiso Phaliso
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
The association claims it wants Somali business owners operating in Khayelitsha to close shop as a prelude to meeting local business owners to discuss a way forward, because the locals are apparently unhappy with the competition posed by their foreign counterparts.
Meanwhile, the Khayelitsha secretary of the National African Federated Chamber of Commerce (Nafcoc), Mandisi Njoli, revealed that "some" members of Zanokhayo - which is affiliated to Nafcoc - had been charged with intimidation last week.
| 'We have rights like everybody and no one will take it from us' |
But Njoli said the members in question had hidden at "a safe place", and that Nafcoc and Zanokhanyo members were holding talks with Somali shop owners in a bid to convince them to drop the charges.
They were set to meet the Somalis for a decision on Tuesday.
Information pertaining to the charges of intimidation emerged at a meeting on Sunday between seven Somali representatives and more than 50 Khayelitsha business owners affiliated to Zanokhanyo and Nafcoc.
Talks about the charges being withdrawn were discussed in a closed meeting, after which Somali representative Bashir Mohamed Abidi said they had told Zanokhanyo and Nafcoc members that they would first have to consult with other Somali shopkeepers before taking a decision.
| '... perpetrators can expect harsh measures of policing' |
"We represent a group of people and we cannot take a decision now," Abidi said.
They would announce their decision on Wednesday, he told the Cape Argus.
But Abidi added: "It will be a crime if people other than the police ask us to close our shops down."
He said the government had given them permits to work, study or open small businesses if they so wished.
"We have rights like everybody and no one will take it from us," Abidi said.
Police spokesperson Andre Traut said 48 individuals had lodged complaints with the SAPS, resulting in the charges. Although no arrests had yet been made, investigations were ongoing.
Traut said his office had no record of any intention to have the charges withdrawn and was not aware of any request in this regard.
"The SAPS will not tolerate lawlessness and perpetrators can expect harsh measures of policing," he said.
Anyone who received "letters of intimidation" were encouraged to report it at their local police stations.
Meanwhile, African Christian Democratic Party MP and Whip Cheryllyn Dudley has denied that the party condoned the threats and alleged intimidation against the Somali shop owners.
"There has clearly been miscommunication on this issue," Dudley said in a statement on Monday, referring to comments reportedly made by the party's Western Cape chairperson, Mzuvukile Nikelo.
"The ACDP does not, in any way, support intimidation and threats made by retailers' associations to the Somali business people in the Western Cape," said Dudley.
"Mr Nikelo's concerns are that we have not yet adequately heard the complaints of South Africans in high density communities and while this is also the position of the ACDP, it should not be construed to mean we condone intimidation," she said. - West Cape News
Source: Cape Argus, Sept 09, 2008